“Who needs coworking? I have the home office, and the café around the corner; I don’t need to rent a space!” That may be true, but how productive are you REALLY? How professionally is your business perceived conducting meetings at Starbucks? And how much are you missing – isolated at home all the time?
Coworking is booming across the world – and for good reason. Business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers are finding that the home office –while at first seemed freeing – has become stifling. But maybe you aren’t convinced yet to give coworking a shot – here are eight excellent things you may want to consider:
- Easy networking, especially for those who hate networking. At a coworking space, the networking is built in. You can reduce the time you spend (or don’t spend) at networking events by getting to know the people you’re working next to. Who knows, that woman down the table might be exactly who you need to know to land your next huge account.
- Meet potential clients, suppliers, or mentors. Laptop Lounge members have great success stories resulting from introductions made by our Community Manager, Leslie Reitzes:
- A business consultant is now working with a writer on the book he’s been thinking of writing for years.
- An advertising CEO was scaling his business and met a payroll specialist, health insurance broker, and corporate attorney who all helped take his business to the next level.
- The manager of a doctor’s practice who couldn’t get a return call from her tax professional met a CPA member. She was so impressed with the CPA’s knowledge and the ease of meeting at Laptop Lounge that she switched all her business to the CPA.
- Two web developers worked side by side for months. One is a business owner, the other worked remotely, but wanted to go freelance. Now, they are knee-deep in several projects together.
- A seasoned business owner tripled her business after joining the downtown Walnut Creek coworking space and attending Laptop Lounge’s many networking events.
- Better Nutrition. For those working from cafés, the coffee drinks and sweets you’re buying to justify the use of the Wi-Fi can be impacting your bottom – as well as your bottom line. A coworking space will have better Wi-Fi; free coffee; and more ergonomic work spaces, including padded chairs and standing desk stations.
- Professional meeting spaces. With enclosed offices and conference rooms, your coworking space will offer you a professional space for meetings.
- It’s not just for techie super geeks. Entrepreneurs, tele-commuters, and freelancers all find value in their coworking memberships. When choosing a coworking space, visit several and work for a day at each to make sure the culture is a fit for you and your business.
- Increased exposure = reduced isolation. We’re humans. Humans are social beings. The fact is, we need contact with other humans in order to stay healthy and productive. Meeting the other members of your coworking space does your sanity, as well as your business, good.
- Have a high profile, professional address. There are privacy and legal reasons to have a separate address for your business- and PO Boxes look so fly-by-night. Your coworking space can provide you with a business address that could otherwise be out of your budget. It’s also tax deductible, so this benefit gets bonus points!
- Get found online. Having a physical address will also improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – which helps potential clients find you when they do a Google search – equaling more business for you!
So if you’ve been on the fence about getting out of the home office rut and ending the isolation contact us for a free tour and day pass!
